Consumers are inundated with information. More and more our lives are being dictated by pushes, news feeds, social posts…you name it…whatever happens in the techno-sphere- we get it.
Technology, as beneficial as it is and can be for a variety of reasons, also complicates and is a trigger for anxiety, and stress. We are, more than ever in an era of information overload. Much of the information is useless, unwarranted, and unwanted. Time wasters.
These “Roaring ’20s’ will turn the consumption of information, and personalized consumerism into the equivalent of the advent of the automobile, sound in movies, television, the moon landing – all into one, times 1000. It is difficult to predict what the next week not to imagine the next decade will deliver. In the world of 5G (6G!?) and IoT, technological changes will touch every aspect of our lives the extent of which is anyone’s guess.
One thing we can predict is that no matter the technology that is brought into our every day lives, the needs and demands stemming from us will set the pace for development.
So how and where do businesses like those in the retail and hospitality sectors focus? It is difficult enough for a bricks and mortar business to compete at a local level, not to mention online. Entrepreneurs who run these businesses are busy just managing their operations- the day to day activities of business. They are often short staffed and have to juggle the daily operations with figuring out how to compete with the online world and get people – traffic – into their stores and restaurants.
So how can bricks and mortar businesses hit a home run? It sounds simple but…service. Service, and personalized attention are areas where online retailers are at a disadvantage.
As one example, legacy retailers who offer a traditional physical location are now leaders in the click-and-collect model. Consumer adoption of this convenient service is growing even when seasonal sales appear to be dominated by online businesses. Click and pick-up harnesses a level of personalization that click and deliver cannot. At it is one area that delivers a competitive advantage to the bricks and mortar businesses. A home run.
We are social creatures are we not? Can you remember an excellent, personalized experience you received at a physical place of business versus that great personalized experience of picking your parcel off the front porch?
Retailers can also tap into software which engages customers on a personal level and creates an environment that delivers a very strong sense of loyalty and hence retention. The engagement, acquisition and retention of customers on a personal, real-time level delivers another competitive advantage for the bricks and mortar business over a strictly online delivery service. Businesses can capitalize on personalized, timely, location marketing platforms like Airbrowz and establish a stronger sense of loyalty with customers and communities who are looking for the ultimate consumer experience. This could drive a strong defence against the encroachment of online retailers like Amazon, which is not and may never be a go to bricks and mortar retailer.
